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Black Sox say Halberg recognition a boost for softball and next generation

Source: Radio New Zealand

The New Zealand Black Sox will fight for their eighth title at the WBSC Mens Softball World Cup. WBSC

For a sport that rarely commands the national spotlight, the New Zealand Black Sox say being recognised on one of the biggest sporting nights in Aotearoa is a huge moment, not just for the team, but for softball itself.

The New Zealand men’s side were finalists for ISPS Handa Team of the Year at the 63rd Halberg Awards in Tāmaki Makaurau Auckland, following their silver-medal finish at last year’s WBSC Men’s Softball World Cup in Canada.

The Black Sox are the most decorated sporting team in New Zealand, winning seven world titles and totalling 14 medals. They won a medal in 13 of the first 15 World Cups, and appeared consecutively in the World Championship Final 10 times from 1984 to 2017.

The other finalists were Black Ferns Sevens (rugby sevens), Auckland FC (football), New Zealand Kiwis (rugby league), Men’s Team Pursuit: Nick Kergozou, Tom Sexton, Keegan Hornblow and Marshall Erwood (cycling – track), Ben Taylor and Oliver Welch (rowing).

The Black Ferns Sevens took out the award on the night following an impressive 2025 performance.

Infielder and Black Sox Slugger Jerome Raemaki (Cook Island) said the recognition shines a light on a sport that continues to grow from the grassroots up.

“For us it’s a positive light on softball in general in New Zealand and our programmes are still strong with the youth coming through as well,” he said.

“I think we’ve put our best foot forward.”

WBSC

New Zealand climbed back onto the world stage at the World Cup, finishing with silver in a campaign that signalled a resurgence for the Black Sox.

They were lead by a wealth of experience, with Hall of Famer and four-time World Champion Thomas Makea (Ngāti Kahungunu, Ngāti Porou, Ngāti Marama, Ngāti Makea Ki Rarotonga), taking the reins of Head Coach.

Pitcher Pita Rona (Te Ātiawa) said belief had been central to that success.

“We actually believed in ourselves a hell of a lot more as individuals and then also we believed in each other like a hell of a lot more,” he said.

“There was a lot of things that was installed in us right from the get-go, like three, four years ago, building up to when it really mattered.”

He said support from whānau and management had played a key role in building that foundation.

“There’s also a lot of things that have helped us get to where we are today.”

The Enoka brothers said being in the room alongside other elite athletes from across different codes was special. Layla Bailey-McDowell / RNZ

The campaign also marked personal milestones. Brothers Ben and Thomas Enoka (Ngāpuhi) both brought up 100 caps for the Black Sox during the campaign in Canada – a moment that reflected the longevity within the squad.

Ben Enoka said the Halberg nomination was recognition of the collective effort.

“Just excited, you know, to be nominated amongst some of the high-performance athletes in New Zealand. Just happy to be here representing the Black Sox.”

Thomas Enoka said the exposure mattered for those coming through the pathways.

“To be on a platform where they can strive to and something they can look up to, I’d hope,” he said.

“To put us back on the Halberg map… for the next generation.”

According to statistics from Softball New Zealand, Māori and Pasifika whānau make up nearly half of their membership. WBSC

Softball in Aotearoa has long had strong Māori and Pasifika representation, something reflected across the current squad. Several players spoke about the importance of whānau and whakapapa within the team environment.

Rona, the son of Black Sox Hall of Famer and four-time World Champion, Brad Rona, described the sport as grounded in family.

“Our sport is such a small community and family becomes a big part in our sport,” he said.

“You play for more than yourself. You play for your family. You play for the next generation. You play for the ones before us.”

Raemaki said that sense of whānau shaped the team culture during their World Cup run.

“We created a culture that was relaxing, where everyone felt comfortable. They had a voice,” he said.

“So we didn’t have to iron out any of that and we could just focus on the task at hand.”

WBSC

Thomas Enoka said representing their whānau on the world stage carried weight.

“Our whānau is pretty proud of us to be on a stage like this or even on a world stage just in our own sport,” he said.

“If you look at things like that, I think that’s something that brings a lot of mana to yourself.”

For 22-year-old Canterbury pitcher Liam Potts – who was named WBSC Men’s Softballer of the Year following the tournament – the moment was unexpected.

“I never think of my softball career I’d get to come to an event like this,” Potts said.

“To see so many faces that you think, wow, I’ve watched you on TV … and be like, holy, you’re actually a real person.”

Potts said his individual accolade came from focusing on doing his job for the team.

“I didn’t think much of what I could do. I was just kind of competing the best I could for my team,” he said.

“Getting named WBSC Player of the Year, it’s just unreal.”

After an impressive campaign, Black Sox Pitcher Liam Potts was named in the WBSC Mens Softball World Cup Finals 2025 All-World tournament team. WBSC

Potts is set to represent the fern on the World Stage in April, competing in the WBSC U-23 Men’s World Cup.

“You’ve just got to believe you can do it,” Potts said.

“It will never be a straight line up. You always have your ups and downs … you’ve got to enjoy the journey. And honestly, you do the work, it will pay off in the end.”

The Black Sox said whether they left with silverware or not, the recognition and accolades would offer a platform that could help inspire the next generation of softballers across Aotearoa.

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‘Disaster sightseeing’ getting in way of contractors, mayor of storm-hit Rangitikei says

Source: Radio New Zealand

Rangitikei Mayor Andy Watson. RNZ / Jimmy Ellingham

The Rangitikei mayor wants people to stop taking “disaster sightseeing” trips into the back country because they are getting in the way of contractors doing their jobs.

“Sections of Marton and Taihape are also without electricity, and people should prepare to be without power for a number of days,” Andy Watson said on Tuesday, following bad weather.

Generators were being used to maintain water supplies in population centres.

Meanwhile, council staff and contractors were clearing a huge number of fallen trees from roads around the district and some local roads remained closed.

In its midday update on Tuesday, Powerco said there were about 8220 customers without power across its network area, with the most impacted regions being Whanganui (3284), Manawatū (3801) and Wairarapa (1103).

“Multiple poles and lines are down, particularly in the Whanganui and Manawatū regions, with complete rebuilds of sections of the electricity network needed before power can be restored,” the lines company said.

“One of the hardest-hit areas is Himatangi in Manawatū, where our contracting crews are needing to rebuild the power line network on some of the roads.”

Powerco said the severity of the damage meant it was unable to say when electricity supply would be restored.

“Good power restoration gains are expected on Tuesday with improved weather conditions in the regions hardest hit by wild weather overnight Sunday and [on Monday].”

The company said crews from throughout the North Island were helping restore power to customers in Whanganui-Rangitīkei, Manawatū-Tararua and Wairarapa.

“Helicopters have been used this morning to assess damage from the air, so that contracting crews can then access remote areas with the correct equipment.”

Meanwhile, Palmerston North Mayor Grant Smith said a small number of Ashhurst residents could expect ongoing disruption from the aftermath of the wild weather, but by-and-large the city had emerged unscathed.

Smith said the Saddle Road remained closed while council staff and contractors began the clean-up operation.

“My understanding is that there is still surface flooding there. It was a pretty big storm, so there’ll be some carnage there for a little while as the clean-up happens.

“Obviously trees [are] down, and what’s been washed down the Pohangina River as it joins up with the Manawatū.”

Smith said the Saddle and River Road area of Ashhurst was low-lying and prone to flooding.

About a dozen residents were evacuated in the early hours of Monday morning when officials became concerned about the Pohangina River. They were allowed to return home a few hours later.

Smith said officials tended to take a level of precaution when considering the area.

“We did declare a state of emergency in a precautionary approach, but some of our neighbours in the headwaters of the Rangitikei and Manawatū rivers were hit a lot worse than we were.”

Smith said Palmerston North had been able to release some staff to help with the clean-up in the Rangitikei and Tararua regions.

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Person killed by dogs in Kaihu, Northland

Source: Radio New Zealand

Follow our live blog for updates above.

A person has been killed by dogs at a property in Kaihu, Northland.

Emergency services were called to the property on State Highway 12 at 11.25am.

Upon arrival, police found a dead person.

Kaipara District Council’s animal management team confirmed they are responding to and investigating an incident involving dogs and a person at a property earlier on Tuesday.

The dogs have been secured.

“At this stage we re unable to provide any further details or comment while a response and investigation is underway.”

Police, who are also carrying out a scene examination, said there is no risk to the public in relation to the incident.

St John confirmed an ambulance and helicopter were called to the scene at 11.22 this morning, but referred further queries to police.

The incident comes amid growing calls for an overhaul of dog control laws.

A resident of the Far North community of Ahipara last week told RNZ residents had been arming themselves with sticks to protect against roaming dogs.

Follow our live blog for updates at the top of this page.

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‘Roof tiles absolutely everywhere’: Wellingtonians confront damage after storm

Source: Radio New Zealand

Sarah Lyne says she returned home to find rooms in her Kingston flat open to the elements after Sunday night’s wild weather. Supplied

A Wellington woman says she returned home to find rooms in her Kingston flat open to the elements after Sunday night’s wild weather.

People in the lower North Island were confronting the damage to their neighbourhoods after heavy rain and high winds felled trees, flooded homes and closed schools yesterday.

More than 10,000 people were still without power in the lower North Island.

Powerco was reporting 8220 properties without power across Manawatū, Whanganui and Wairarapa.

While in Wellington, 2300 homes and businesses remained without power on Tuesday morning.

Wellington Electricity said it expected most customers to be back online by Tuesday evening but some in the hardest-hit areas could have to wait until the end of the week.

The Wellington Regional Emergency Management Office was warning people to take care when clearing fallen branches, and to be on the watch for slips and unstable ground.

The roof had torn off

Sarah Lyne – an RNZ employee – said she chose to spend the night at a friends knowing that her rented flat was in poor condition.

“I showed up the next day to find my roof tiles absolutely everywhere. Over my driveway, over my yard, getting onto the street. Went inside and found pink [insulation] bats everywhere. Basically the roof had torn off,” Lyne said.

Supplied

She said she fire crews called in to secure the roof soon spotted other damage from the vantage point on top of her home and had to move on to assist other people nearby.

Lyne said she was extremely grateful to her neighbours who acted quickly – putting tarpaulins in place to protect the building – despite the continued high winds.

“My neighbours immediately jumped into action. They grabbed a ladder – it was quite dangerous – jumped up, checked the damage, took a bunch of photos and grabbed some tarp and immediately covered as much as [they] could. My place would be in a lot worse state if it wasn’t for them,”

She said she had no idea how long it would be before her home would be habitable again.

‘Panic stations’ in the early morning

In Lower Hutt this morning, residents near the flooded Waiwhetu Stream were cleaning up debris washed across the neighbourhood.

On Monday morning people in nearby Heather Grove people were told to self evacuate if they felt unsafe.

BJ Rauhihi said it was “panic stations” – as the stream broke its banks and water began to swamp the area early in the morning.

“It just started getting worse and worse and then you could see it was starting to fill up the rest of the street but when you look down there, yeah it was like a raging torrent really.”

Rauhihi said it was nerve racking to realise he could no longer see the footpath or his street’s grass berms.

“We hit the panic stations and then we are started packing stuff up and getting ready,” Rauhihi said.

In the end Rauhihi said he was able to stay in his home. He said Civil Defence workers did a great job.

“The last time it flooded like this on Heather Grove was 20 years ago but this event was worse.

“It was terrible, you just don’t know what to do with yourself, I was probably in a little bit of shock,” Rauhihi said.

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Are $7 blocks now normal? What’s going on with the price of chocolate

Source: Radio New Zealand

Unsplash / Tetiana Bykovets

You weren’t imagining it – Valentine’s Day chocolate probably was more expensive this year.

Stats NZ data shows food prices up 4.6 percent in the year to January, after a 4 percent increase in the 12 months to December.

Grocery prices were up 4 percent.

Sirloin steak lifted 22.9 percent over the year, white bread 57.9 percent and takeaway coffee 6.6 percent, to an average $5.16 a cup.

Chocolate was up 20.5 percent to $6.89 per 250 grams.

Infometrics chief executive Brad Olsen said there was usually a price increase for chocolate in either January or February in the lead-up to Valentine’s Day.

“But chocolate prices have now increased 20 percent, that’s three months in a row of double digit annual price increases.”

He said it was the first time in Stats NZ data that chocolate prices had topped $6 on average for 250g and they were close to $7.

“I do suspect part of that as well is some of the pricing changes you’ve seen in recent times … part of that will be around specials that are offered or not, and also the fact that Whittaker’s has raised their chocolate prices as well in the last couple of months. That might well be filtering through into the numbers.”

He said there was international pressure on chocolate prices. Cocoa prices had eased a little from highs earlier in 2025 but New Zealand chocolate prices never lifted as much as cocoa did.

“Long story short, where international chocolate prices were at the end of last year up a good 37 percent from where international cocoa prices were two years ago. I suspect that the increase you’re seeing is a combination of pricing changes coming through in the system already, the usual Valentine’s Day spike, but being amplified by those international chocolate prices or cocoa prices going up, that have taken a while to filter their way through into the system.”

Westpac senior economist Satish Ranchhod said Valentine’s Day was probably not a major driver of the price change.

“Chocolate prices get heavily discounted in November and December in the run up to Christmas. They come off special in January and then get discounted again over February.”

Woolworths was this week selling 250g blocks of Whittaker’s chocolate for $7.49.

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Is ‘March Madness’ already hitting Auckland commuters?

Source: Radio New Zealand

A file photo of Auckland traffic in 2023. RNZ / Lucy Xia

Is traffic already worse than normal or are Aucklanders just dealing with the usual shock of congestion as everyone returns to work and school?

The spike in Auckland traffic congestion is known as ‘March Madness’, but travel times are already picking up.

Director of transport advocacy website, Greater Auckland, Matt Lowrie told Nine to Noon travel times appeared to be normal.

“One of the things that happens is that we get lulled into a false sense of security of how easy it is when the traffic is low and during those school holidays.

“The numbers seem to suggest that it’s probably similar to last year … but it’s that we’ve often forgotten how bad it was at this time last year because even throughout after April when March Madness normally runs through to about Easter, it does drop off for sort of the rest of the year.

“We forget how bad it is at this time of year and I think that’s part of what is driving the experience that people are having is that we just forget that it’s super busy at this time of year and that creates a lot of pressure on all forms of transport.”

Lowrie said while they didn’t have road data yet, travel on public transport seemed to be about the same as last year.

However, he said indications were that roads were not at its peak yet, with far more congestion still to come in March.

“It’s the busiest period of the year on the roads and on public transport and it’s basically the highest level of transport demand that exists,” he said.

“There’s a number of factors behind it and that is things like kids going back to school, people who no longer have taken their holidays so they’re back at work and even things like sickness.”

There were fewer people sick at this time of year than perhaps in winter, Lowrie said.

“They tend to be more in the office more and then there’s also just, for example, university students, they’re about to go back shortly and they’re also at the start of the year,” he said.

“They’re quite keen to get into it and all excitement and before some of them start to sort of drop off or work their way around when their lectures are and what have you.

“It’s when most people are on the roads and on public transport and everything, travelling around to get to destinations.”

Lowrie said constant disruptions meant that trains were only operating at 60-65 percent of what it was prior to Covid.

He said it would take time for commuters to trust the network.

“City Rail Link will absolutely help that, and I think there will be a lot of people who decide to give it a go … it’s particularly from the west of Auckland where the travel times will be significantly lower as a result of the city rail.”

That’s where people will start to see some behaviour change and giving the trains a try, he said.

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Person killed by dogs in Kaihu, Northland, RNZ understands

Source: Radio New Zealand

Follow our live blog for updates above.

RNZ understands a person has been killed by dogs in Northland.

St John confirmed an ambulance and helicopter were called to the scene around 11.22 this morning.

They referred further queries to police.

The incident comes amid growing calls for an overhaul of dog control laws.

A resident of the Far North community of Ahipara last week told RNZ residents had been arming themselves with sticks to protect against roaming dogs.

Follow our live blog for updates at the top of this page.

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Teaching Council fell short in managing conflicts of interest, investigation finds

Source: Radio New Zealand

The Public Service Commission has published its investigation into the Teaching Council’s procurement and conflicts of interest management. RNZ / Richard Tindiller

The Public Service Commission says the Teaching Council fell well short of public sector standards in its management of procurement and conflicts of interest.

The commission has published its investigation into procurement and conflict of interest management involving the advertising firm Clemenger, digital engagement services, and te reo Māori instruction, translation, and Māori cultural advice.

“Our investigation found that on multiple occasions between late 2018 and early 2025, the Teaching Council conducted procurement activities which did not comply with its internal policies and fell short of relevant system guidance. Some of these procurement activities also involved a conflict of interest which, in our view, was not appropriately identified or managed,” it said.

“This was not an issue of technical non-compliance. Key steps in the requisite processes did not occur, creating significant organisational and reputational risks. The Teaching Council’s management of these activities fell short (and sometimes well short) of the standards expected in the public sector. This has the potential to undermine public trust in the organisation.”

The report said the council’s chief executive, Lesley Hoskin, had a conflict of interest with regard to Clemenger because her husband is the company’s managing director and has shares in the company.

It said the council engaged Clemenger for three projects, and though Hoskin declared the conflict and was not involved in awarding the contracts there was “varying compliance” with the council’s procurement policy.

“Many of the contracts linked to these initiatives were not procured through competitive processes, and the grounds for exemption from this requirement in the Teaching

Council’s procurement policy were not thoroughly considered, documented or approved. We have particularly serious concerns about a contract related to the communications strategy initiative, which was finalised for a value of $570,000 (later varied to $530,000) following a Request for Proposal (RFP) indicating a value of $75,000. The description of services provided under this contract also differed significantly from the workstreams identified in the RFP.”

The report said the council engaged two contractors for “digital engagement” without a competitive process, creating a risk of perceived bias or favouritism, though there was no evidence of conflicts of interest.

It said multiple contracts for te reo Māori instruction, translation and cultural advice did not comply with internal procurement policy but there was no evidence that the deputy chief executive sponsoring the projects had a conflict of interest.

The report said the council had “low maturity” in conflict management because it relied on annual declarations of conflicts of interest rather than actively managing them.

“The Teaching Council’s sole approach to managing the Chief Executive’s conflict in relation to Clemenger was to exclude her from any procurement and contract management process. This was an overly simplistic approach and not sufficient to manage the Chief Executive’s conflict of interest. In particular, very little was done to manage the considerable perception risks arising from the conflict. To the contrary those risks were exacerbated markedly by poor procurement practices as

set out below,” the report said.

It said Hoskin did not declare her husband’s shareholding in Clemenger which created a financial interest in a company that benefited from contracts with the council.

“The Chief Executive did not disclose her husband’s shareholding to the Chair of the Governing Council, or to senior leaders managing contracts with Clemenger beyond the verbal declaration to Deputy Chief Executive A in 2018. While the Chief Executive reliably disclosed the conflict created by her husband’s position, her omission of the shareholding interest showed a lack of understanding of the nature of conflicts.”

RNZ has approached the Teaching Council for comment.

Public Service Commissioner Sir Brian Roche said the report painted a concerning picture about the council.

“The Council is responsible for upholding high professional standards for teachers,” he said.

“It must also meet the highest standards itself. In this case, basic public sector expectations were not met, and in some areas the Council fell well short.

“These shortcomings created avoidable organisational and reputational risks and have the potential to undermine trust in the Teaching Council.”

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New Zealand’s first national infrastructure plan unveiled

Source: Radio New Zealand

Infrastructure Minister Chris Bishop. RNZ / Nathan McKinnon

  • The Infrastructure Commission has released the country’s first National Infrastructure Plan
  • Infrastructure Minister Chris Bishop requested the plan and is pushing for cross-party buy-in
  • The plan sets out 16 recommendations, and 10 priorities for the next decade

The country’s first National Infrastructure Plan has landed, laying out an ‘affordable’ plan to tackle the country’s infrastructure woes.

The 226-page report discusses “formidable challenges” to New Zealand’s roads, water pipes, power lines, hospitals, schools and courts.

It said building and maintaining infrastructure was becoming more expensive as climate change was making the natural hazard risks more severe.

On top of this, much of what had been built in the past decades was wearing out and needed to be replaced, the report said.

Infrastructure Commission chief executive Geoff Cooper said the plan set out a practical, affordable pathway to deliver the infrastructure the country needed over the next 30 years.

Infrastructure Commission chief executive Geoff Cooper. Supplied / Infrastructure Commission

“While the plan looks at the long term, it’s clear that we need to take action now. Weather events and infrastructure failures make very clear the importance of investing to renew and build resilience into the networks that sustain our way of life.

“We can’t keep doing what we’ve always done. Each year we invest just over $20 billion on infrastructure, yet on a dollar-for-dollar basis we achieve less than many of our more efficient international peers.”

Cooper said the plan was “ambitous, but centred on affordability” to give decision makers a clear, system-wide picture of where pressures were emerging and where investment would deliver the greatest value.

The National Infrastructure Plan’s 16 recommendations (detailed version below)

1. Needs-based capital allowances

2. Land transport funding and oversight

3. Long-term investment planning

4. Predictable government funding signals

5. Multi-year budgeting

6. Asset management performance reporting

7. System-wide assurance

8. Asset management assurance

9. Investment readiness assurance

10. Project information coordination

11. Stable resource management framework

12. Integrated spatial planning

13. Optimised infrastructure use

14. Accelerated electricity investment

15. Coordinated workforce development

16. Public sector project leadership

Rockfall on a South Westland road. NZ Transport Agency / Waka Kotahi

Cooper said the plan charted an affordable way to meet a diverse set of infrastructure demands over time and identified how to best prioritise and sequence a large programme of significant investments such as roads, rapid transit, and hospitals.

“The plan demonstrates a fundable and affordable programme of works that futureproofs existing services, while incrementally building on the network as the country grows and develops,” he said.

“A plan by itself won’t change anything. The National Infrastructure Plan charts the course, but progress depends on how decision-makers, delivery agencies, industry, and communities use the plan to do things differently.

The National Infrastructure Plan’s 10 priorities for the next decade (detailed version below)

1. Lift hospital investment for an ageing population

2. Complete catch up on renewals in the water sector and restore affordability

3. Implement time of use charging and fleetwide road user charges

4. Prioritise and sequence major land transport projects

5. Manage assets on the downside

6. Prioritise adequate maintenance and renewals

7. Identify cost-effective flood risk infrastructure

8. Commit to a durable resource management framework

9. Commit to upzoning around key transport corridors

10. Take a predictable approach to electrify the economy

Responding to the release of the report, Bishop said delivering and maintaining better infrastructure was a key part of the coalition’s plan to fix the basics and build the future.

“The government has spent a lot of time in the last two years making a start on fixing the basics of our system, but there is a lot more to do.

“The Investment Management System has been strengthened, long-term investment plans are beginning to be developed, and ministers are demanding higher quality information from agencies.

“We have launched a comprehensive programme of work to improve asset management in the public sector.”

Bishop said the coalition would study each of the recommendations carefully and publish its response to the plan in June 2026.

The Dunedin Hospital build site in 2024. RNZ/Tess Brunton

“As part of our response to the National Infrastructure Plan I intend to engage with other political parties in Parliament.

“Infrastructure Commission officials will make briefings available to parties who wish to take a deeper dive into the detail behind the recommendations, and I will be writing to Parliament’s Business Committee seeking time for a special debate on the plan.

“Infrastructure lasts for generations. Where we can build durable consensus, we should.

“Fixing the basics and building the future of New Zealand infrastructure is central to lifting living standards and driving our prosperity. The National Infrastructure Plan is a great contribution to this shared agenda for everyone in New Zealand. Now it is up to all of us to do the hard work required to turn ambition into delivery.”

The commission consulted on a draft plan last year before giving the final report to Bishop on 22 December 2025.

The National Infrastructure Plan’s 16 recommendations (detailed version)

1. Needs-based capital allowances: Ensure fiscal strategy and capital allowances are informed by the commission’s independent assessment of long-term needs and agencies’ infrastructure asset management and investment plans.

2. Land transport funding and oversight: Reform the land transport funding and investment oversight system to ensure financial sustainability and enhance economic and social outcomes by aligning investment expectations with available revenue and strengthening efficiency and accountability in delivery.

3. Long-term investment planning: Introduce legislative requirements for capital-intensive central government agencies to prepare and publish longterm investment and asset management plans aligned with the government’s fiscal strategy.

4. Predictable government funding signals: Extend the horizon over which governments plan their infrastructure funding intentions and communicate these intentions to agencies and the public.

5. Multi-year budgeting: Adopt multi-year budgeting arrangements that leverage and reinforce high-quality infrastructure planning, delivery and asset management practices.

6. Asset management performance reporting: Require, through legislation, capital-intensive central government agencies to report on asset information and asset management performance, including progress against their investment and asset management plans.

7. System-wide assurance: Establish a consolidated assurance function that provides ministers with a system-wide view of infrastructure planning, delivery, and asset management performance and risk.

8. Asset management assurance: Establish an assurance function for capital-intensive central government agencies covering asset management and investment planning activities.

9. Investment readiness assurance: Strengthen investment assurance by applying a transparent, independent readiness assessment to major government-funde investment proposals.

10. Project information coordination: Require all infrastructure providers to maintain up-to-date data in the National Infrastructure Pipeline and strengthen arrangements for improving data quality over time.

11. Stable resource management framework: Commit to maintaining a stable legislative framework for resource management that enables infrastructure development while managing environmental impacts.

12. Integrated spatial planning: Ensure spatial planning within the resource management system aligns infrastructure investment with land-use planning and regulation.

13. Optimised infrastructure use: Set land-use policies to enable maximum efficient use of existing and new infrastructure.

14. Accelerated electricity investment: Establish clear, consistent, and coordinated government policies to accelerate electricity infrastructure investment that supports economic growth and emissions reduction.

15. Coordinated workforce development: Align workforce development planning and policy with infrastructure investment and asset management plans and the commission’s independent view of longterm needs.

16. Public sector project leadership: Strengthen public sector project leadership through a consistent, system-wide approach to appointing, developing, and supporting infrastructure leaders.

Discharge from pipes in Taharoa. Waikato Regional Council / Supplied

The National Infrastructure Plan’s 10 priorities for the next decade (detailed version)

1. Lift hospital investment for an ageing population: Increase investment as a share of GDP to address ageing population demands and maintenance backlogs through clear long-term planning.

2. Complete catch up on renewals in the water sector and restore affordability: Sector affordability can be restored through national guidance on demand management, resourcing the economic regulator and providing assurance over investment proposals.

3. Implement time of use charging and fleetwide road user charges: This is essential for improving the efficiency of our urban road networks, particularly in congested cities.

4. Prioritise and sequence major land transport projects: Restore affordability by timing major road and rapid transit investments based on demonstrated demand and cost benchmarking, while using low-cost and targeted improvements first to lift network performance.

5. Manage assets on the downside: Actively plan for declining demand scenarios arising from changing demographics, technology and climate change, and explore asset recycling opportunities within portfolios to maintain value and affordability.

6. Prioritise adequate maintenance and renewals: Central government agencies must prioritise adequate funding to prevent asset deterioration and costly reactive fixes.

7. Identify cost-effective flood risk infrastructure: Climate change will intensify flooding and impact infrastructure, requiring effective community risk management approaches.

8. Commit to a durable resource management framework: New Zealand needs a durable legislative framework with spatial planning and national standards that can evolve through incremental amendments.

9. Commit to upzoning around key transport corridors: This will lead to more efficient use of water and other networks and maximise the value of transport infrastructure investments.

10. Take a predictable approach to electrify the economy: Achieving electrification and net zero carbon targets requires predictable market rules and policy settings rather than non-commercial government investment in electricity supply.

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– Published by EveningReport.nz and AsiaPacificReport.nz, see: MIL OSI in partnership with Radio New Zealand

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Pharmacists vote to accept Health NZ pay offer

Source: Radio New Zealand

The agreement covers pay and conditions for pharmacists, pharmacy assistants and technicians. 123RF

Pharmacists and Health New Zealand have reached an agreement on pay and conditions, with members of the union voting to accept HNZ’s latest offer.

Pharmacy Association of Professionals and Executive Employees (APEX) members – which include pharmacists, pharmacy assistants and technicians – will receive a 2.5 percent salary increase from January 2026, and a two percent increase in 2027.

HNZ spokesperson Robyn Shearer said the health agency welcomed the decision, which would affect about 300 workers.

“We would like to acknowledge and thank APEX for its commitment to reaching this settlement.”

APEX represents pharmacy workers employed across Aotearoa, including those working for Te Whatu Ora and in private practice.

Senior advocate Denise Tairua told RNZ they began bargaining in mid-October, prior to their old agreement expiring in November.

“There’s a month between expiry and commencement,” she said. “It was an issue for the members, however, given some of the other things and improvements, it was a small timeframe not to receive back-dating.”

Other benefits included an increase in HNZ’s contribution to membership fees. It had been a longstanding practice for HNZ to cover less than the full cost of membership fees for various professional associations required for their work.

Those fees ranged from $200 to $500 annually, she said.

“There’s been a slight uplift in those, getting [HNZ’s contribution] nearer to that 80 percent.”

A pharmacy engagement group had also been formed, which would look at longstanding issues around safe staffing, monitoring the use of professional development funds, and the duration and frequency of on-call periods.

The bar for ratification was to exceed 50 percent. “We did have quite a good turnout, so a high percentage of members voted to ratify this agreement.”

“We’re quite pleased that this one didn’t drag on,” Tairua said. “What’s really important will be work we can do within the engagement group to look at longstanding issues.”

Earlier this month, the union also reached a settlement for its psychologists, with similar pay increases to the pharmacy agreement, affecting 670 workers.

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– Published by EveningReport.nz and AsiaPacificReport.nz, see: MIL OSI in partnership with Radio New Zealand